Notes, Holiness and the Refuge

As Counsels from My Heart is one of my favorite books ever, I have read it’s part titled “Notes” that comes in the later part of the book, however opening this wonderful book by chance on the opening page of the “Notes” and rereading this 1st note I thought I should post it here and maybe this note from esteemed Padmakara Translation Group be of benefit to whoever encounters it, It can be taken as thought provoking or too technical, but my hope is that it be taken as helpful.

Kyabje (skyabs rje), which means “lord of refuge,” is traditional title given to lamas of great wisdom and attainment. Curiously enough, in situations where it is traditionally used, there has been a tendency in western Europe and America to substitute the papal title of “His Holiness.” Although there is perhaps some justification for this when referring to the Dalai Lama (temporal and spiritual leadership and by now a precedent of almost a hundred years), its generalized employment, along with that of other titles taken from Catholic hierarchy, seems for a number of reasons out of place and undesirable. It should be remembered that “His Holiness” and “His Eminence” are essentially indications of ecclesiastic rank, bestowed by authority and not by popular acclaim. Moreover, they are not automatically regarded as expressions of devotion, nor are they necessary attestations of spiritual attainment or personal sanctity, as should be clear from even a cursory knowledge of Catholic history. It seems better, therefore, to retain the Tibetan title, which, when used of a lama like Dudjom Rinpoche, is highly meaningful and indeed an exact description.”

[“Counsels from My Heart” by Dudjom Rinpoche, page 107-108.]

Fortune Cookie

From time to time i go to one or the other website and read horoscopes, can take me from 2-3 all the way to 10 minutes! I especially like to read ones for the days in the past and compare them to what happend. At times i read horoscopes of other signs then my own and over time i came to treat them all as a fortune cookie. Attempting to learn something, always, after all they are all written for us and in a way “thrown out there” for whoever can make use of them. Here is one i liked recently.

Daily Overview for June 16, 2006
Provided by Astrology.com
Quickie:
Everything you need to get to the next level is inside you — reach in and get it!
Overview:
Are you open-minded enough to accept the truth, or are you stubbornly insisting on your way in the face of all the facts?
Make things easier on yourself and go for the first option. Let old expectations go.

About photo albums available here

This post is old… Yahoo does not host pictures no more, i had them transferred somewhere. Post to be updated.

http://new.photos.yahoo.com/slideshow?view=album&c=gurupemasiddhihum&albumID=…
1st album is meant to be a collection of pictures used within the 360 page and the blog as well as additional pictures of views, deities and teachers.

http://new.photos.yahoo.com/slideshow?view=album&c=gurupemasiddhihum&albumID=…
2nd album is dedicated to pictures of Lama Wangchuk that cover some of the times of his almost 6 year stay in America, 2000-2006.

http://new.photos.yahoo.com/slideshow?view=album&c=gurupemasiddhihum&albumID=…
3rd album covers some of the events of Lama Wangchuk last 2 weeks in New York, just before he got on the plane in JFK to go to Namdrolling monastery in South India.
There are some pictures from the morning of the 30th of April, the Sunday when Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso offered White Unbrella Empowerment (Duk Kar) at NPDC, in the afternoon of that day we recieved continuation of teaching on Supplication to Guru Rinpoche in Seven Chapters. And later towards the evening some of us were able to gather in Congee Village restaurant, from that gathering there are also a few pictures available amongst 44 currently in the 3rd album. We also met up in the morning of the following day and did some Sadhana Practice together. On the 5th, the Friday we got together in NPDC early in the morning and towards middle of the afternoon i was able to accompany Lama upstate. Saturday happend to be Wesak according to Therevadin callendar and Sunday was the 10th day on which i was able to sit through Rigdzin Dupa Tsog offering to Guru Rinpoche in main temple of upstate retreat center. On the 9th of May lama flew with Air India out of JFK in direction of South India. And i did not take any pictures of these few last days. Lama Wangchuk was a very good friend of just about any one who would reach out to him. And it is next to impossible to believe that he is no longer in NYC.

http://new.photos.yahoo.com/slideshow?view=album&c=gurupemasiddhihum&albumID=…
4th album is to share some of the various pictures of people that i find in my camera after taking scores of pictures, seemingly at random 🙂

http://new.photos.yahoo.com/slideshow?view=album&c=gurupemasiddhihum&albumID=…
5th album is a collection of pictures of Buryat Hambo Lama Tashi Dorje Itigilov, from time before he passed into meditative state diring 1928 and now in 2002 and in 2005. His body remains flexible and is still with us.

http://new.photos.yahoo.com/slideshow?view=album&c=gurupemasiddhihum&albumID=…
Kyabje Penor Rinpoche in carmel, NY on the 19th of August, 2006.

Month of Saka Dawa, some of the events

—– Original Message —–
From: <tenznor@gmail.com>
To: “NPDC” <NPDC@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Friday, May 19, 2006 9:43 PM
Subject: NPDC SAKA DAWA

SAKA DAWA – NYINGMA PALYUL DHARMA CENTER (NPDC), 121 Bowery, 3rd Floor
just South of Grand Street.

Please note that from June 3 through June 11 the Nyingma Palyul Dharma
Center will be open *everyday* and that the following daily schedule
will be observed. All practice sessions are free and open to the
public.
Donations in any amount are gratefully accepted.

DAILY SCHEDULE – June 3, Saturday, through June 11, Sunday
10am – Noon: Riwo Sang Cho, Tara Sadhana, and Vajrakilaya Sadhana
7pm – 9pm: Buddha Shakyamuni Sadhana, and Shower of Blessings

* In addition, on the following special days these specific practices
willbe observed:

BIRTH OF BUDDHA SHAKYAMUNI – June 3, Saturday
10am – Noon: Riwo Sang Cho, Tara Sadhana, and Vajrakilaya Sadhana
2pm – 4pm: Buddha Shakyamuni Sadhana, and Shower of Blessings
7pm – 9pm:Buddha Shakyamuni Sadhana, and Shower of Blessings

GURU RINPOCHE DAY – June 6, Tuesday
10am – Noon: Riwo Sang Cho, Tara Sadhana, and Vajrakilaya Sadhana
2pm – 4pm: Rigdzin Düpa Tsog Offering
7pm – 9pm: Buddha Shakyamuni Sadhana, and Shower of Blessings

SAKA DAWA DUCHEN – June 11, Sunday
10am – Noon: Riwo Sang Cho, Tara Sadhana, and Vajrakilaya Sadhana
2pm – 4pm: Buddha Shakyamuni Sadhana, and Shower of Blessings
7pm – 9pm: Buddha Shakyamuni Sadhana, and Shower of Blessings

Saka Dawa commemorates the birth, enlightenment, and mahaparinirvana
of Buddha Shakyamuni. It is one of the most sacred and auspicious times
inthe Buddhist calendar.

Over 2,500 years ago the Buddha took birth in Lumbini (current-day
Nepal) as a Prince of the Shakya clan. At the age of thirty-six the
Buddha achieved enlightenment in Bodhgaya, India. And at the age of
eighty-one the Buddha “passed away” in Kushinagar, India, entering into
mahaparinirvana. These three profoundly significant events are
collectively commemorated during the 4th month of the Tibetan calendar,
which is known as Saka Dawa.

All merit for virtuous acts performed during the month of Saka Dawa is
multiplied one million times. And it is especially meritorious for one
to practice on Saka Dawa Düchen, (the 15th day of this month, which
falls on June 11, 2006), because this is the anniversary of the actual
date that Buddha Shakyamuni attained enlightenment, as well as being
the date that the Buddha entered into mahaparinirvana. The results of
meritorious actions performed on Saka Dawa Düchen are multiplied 10
million times.

Each year during this sacred and auspicious season an extensive series
of practices based upon the original teachings of Shakyamuni Buddha are
performed at Namdroling monastery, located in Byalakuppe, South
India,which is the main seat of HH Penor Rinpoche. This series of
practices, wherein the blessings of a multitude of deities are summoned
and invoked for the benefit of all sentient beings, is referred to as
Kama Drupchod.

In a similar manner, a series of special sadhanas appropriate for Saka
Dawa will be simultaneously performed at the Nyingma Palyul Dharma
Center in Chinatown, New York, where we are pleased and very fortunate
to welcome Dorje Lopön Lama Sochuk who will lead the sangha at all of
these practice sessions.

Because of the special nature of these days of remembrance and
reflection upon the life and teachings of Buddha Shakyamuni, throughout
this period practitioners are strongly encouraged to take the eight
precepts vows and to observe a vegetarian diet.

–~–~———~–~—-~————~——-~–~—-~
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups “NPDC” group.
To post to this group, send email to NPDC@googlegroups.com
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to NPDC-unsubscribe@googlegroups.com
For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/NPDC
-~———-~—-~—-~—-~——~—-~——~–~—

%d bloggers like this: